Trousers-stretcher.



A ATTORNEY INVENTOR Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

C. B. BOULTON.

TROUSERS STRETCHER.

APPLICATION men JUNE 1a. 1915.

, WI TNESSES:

cnason B. BOULTON, or oKneHoMA; OKLAHOMA.

: raonsnias sranrcrrsa.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARsoN B. BOULTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oklahoma city, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trousers-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention pertains to devices for caring for trousers, so that they may be creased and kept in proper shape while ing stored.

In addition to IOV1CllI1 means for creasform.

Fignre'l is an elevation view of the device opened outward to or toward the position in which it is used in the trousers.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device partly folded together, and with certain slidable sleeves slipped downward to allow further folding.

Fig. 3 is a view of the device completely folded.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.-

Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the device shown just below the line H of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental elevation view taken in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 1, but with the sleeve slipped downto the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

Fig. 7 is an elevation view taken in the direction as Figs. 3 and 6, showing a pair of pivoted arms.

Fig. 8 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow 8 of Fig. 2, Figs. 5 to 8 being on the same enlarged scale as Fig. 4.

Referring to the several figures, in all of which like characters of reference designate like parts, the device includes a pair of substantially straight bars 10 which are adapted to be inserted in a trousers leg and crowded apart to stretch the cloth of the leg, the outer edges 11 of these bars being brought to a sharp angle so as to form a Spee'ification of Letters I at ent. Patented Dec; 18, 1917,

Application filed-June .18, 19 .5, Seria1No.'34,84;5.

crease in the cloth when left under tenslon.

The edges 11 of the bars'l0 may be armored with sheet metal 12 inorder not to be worn away or injured.

At each end of the bars 10 they are connected together by a pair of links 13 which are themselves pivoted together, one link of each pair being pivoted to one bar and the'otherlink to the other-bar.

The pivotal point of the two links 13 of each pair with each other is provided with a spring 14 which acts to open said links apart and crowd the bars 10'apart into the position shown in Fig. 1, and in order that the cloth of the trousers'may not be drawn bias by the stretching action of the device the outer ends of the arms of the lower pair extend past their points of pivotal connection with the bars, as at 15,'and bear against the inner edges of said bars when the latter are opened outward.

With the lower pair of links arranged in this way, the bisecting line BB of their angle will not swing materially out of parallel with the bars lO when the latter are opened outward, and a possible tendency to draw the cloth bias is thereby counteracted.

In folding thebars 10 into the position shown in Fig. 2, the folding is against the tension of the springs 14; and in order to hold the bars closed one of-them is pro vided at each end of its inner edge with a hook 16, and the other bar at eachend with a swinging latch 17 which may be swung into locking engagement with said hook.

Each bar 10 is cut in two at its center, as

at 18, to allow'it to be folded into the posi-,

tion shown in Fig. 3, the two sections being connected together by a link 19 which is pivoted in them by a pin 20,- as bestshown in Fig. 6.,

When the arms 10 are unfolded to working position shown'in Figs. 1 or 2, the two sections of each are held straight and rigid by sheet-metal sleeves 21, the inturned edges 22 of each sleeve engaging grooves 23 in the surfaces of the bars to hold said sleeve in place.

These sleeves 21 are arranged to forcibly and frictionally grip the bars 10 in the direction of their thickness and thereby remain in any position in which they may be left, and when it is desired to fold the bars the sleeves are slid down from over the the inner edge of one bar, and latch meln- 10" joints 18 as shown in Fig. 2. her pivoted to the other bar to engage said Having thus described the invention, I hooks.

c1aim: Witness my hand this 12 day of June,

In a device of the class described, a pair 1915. a

of bars, a pair of links arranged at each CARSON B. BOULTON.

end of said bars and connecting thennre- Witnesses:

silient means associated With said links for H. M. KELLEY, crowding the bars apart, a hook carried by FRANK P. SHEPARD.

Copies of this patent inay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 'Washington, D. O. 

